DCCC to Boehner: Punish Steve King

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is calling on House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to remove Rep. Steve King from the House Judiciary Committee after the Iowa Republican said some children of illegal immigrants are drug smugglers.

The organization is unveiling a petition Sunday asserting that “Congressman Steve King has crossed the line” and that recent “ugly, hateful language has no place in our debate about immigration. Period.” The message will be sent to people on the DCCC’s email list, a source told POLITICO.

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King's controversial comments

“If Speaker Boehner and House Republicans truly want to condemn Congressman King’s views, it’s time for them to remove him from his positions of authority on the Immigration Subcommittee and Judiciary Committee,” continues the DCCC email, which is signed by the organization’s chair, Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and includes a link to the petition.

Earlier this month King said that while some young people who come to America illegally grow up to be successful, “For everyone who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.”

Boehner was critical of King’s comments several times last week, calling them “deeply offensive and wrong.” His political spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.